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scaredycatx
01-08-10, 11:39
Hi everyone,

I am a complete newbie to this site although I have had a good look around over the past few days and wanted to submit a post as I am looking for some reassurance to 'my story' as this site seems to be a great help.

I'm 26 and my nightmare started 6 weeks ago now (It's been a long 6 weeks!) with tension headaches, pretty much constantly all day everyday (does seem to get a little worse as the day goes on though), all in the back of my head and neck and shoulder pain. These are still here 6 weeks on and are starting to scare me now. I was originally signed off work for 2 weeks to relax and they did start to ease during this time but as soon as I went back to work they seem to have gotton worse. I have much less pain in my neck and shoulders now but this has been replaced with the headache moving to the front of my head some days now and some days I feel like there is so much pressure in the back of my head that it is going to explode. Painkillers won't touch them. Some of the time I kind of feel that I'm only 70% here and pretty floaty sometimes although I can have good days and bad days with this.

My other symptoms are an occasional tight chest (definately worse when I've been extra worrying) and pins and needles and numbness in parts of my body occasionally. I was having palpitations so doctor has put me on 80mg Propranolol slow release and this has completely got rid of this. The doctor thinks this is all anxiety based and has ran blood tests etc which were all normal. He has said (and I quote!) it's definately nothing serious. He did however think that the Propranolol would help my headache but it hasn't. I'm back at docs thursday and he is looking to refer me for some CBT.

My heads really getting me down now and I'm not enjoying any social situations so I am finding myself cancelling everything around me. I just want to feel well. I can just about drag myself through a days work and then just want to curl up in bed.

I'm 90% sure this is just anxiety, I can understand it, It's a vicious circle, I worry about my headache constantly which just keeps it here as it is all tension based and I wont allow my head and neck muscles to relax so how is it going to get better if I keep up this worry cycle, I need to just relax and try to forget it and all will be well etc (this is the rational side of me talking!). And with my other symptoms and constant worrying it reinforces that this is just anxiety. But the other 10% of me is thinking the 'what if's' and worrying that this is something much more serious, and that its not normal to have a headache for 6 weeks and I'm scared.

Sorry for the essay, and thanks in advance for any reassurance, advice, words of wisdom, presents!!!

:)

Wishing you all a nice Sunday.
Amy x

calm
01-08-10, 11:46
hi amy....i am a newbie also....and you will receive lots and lots of words of comfort and advice.
have you spoken to your gp over your anxiety and the fears that you have?
i know how easy it is just to keep cancelling everything but do try and go to some.....it may make you feel better.....you never know.
i get numbness in my arms as soon as i wake and the panic/anxiety hits me....its just our body going into overdrive.
let me know how you get on.....love tracey xxxxx i forgot to ask are you on medication?

MidnightCalm
01-08-10, 11:59
I had a headache/tension and neck and shoulder pain for about 2 weeks but now I have a really bad cold and it's affecting my throat and chest so I'm allowing any aches and headaches t to be dismissed as a side-effect off that. Hope that it goes away with the cold, if not i'll be on my 4th week of headaches which is poo!
Hope you start feeling better soon xxx

joannap
01-08-10, 13:39
i can totally understand where you are coming from. my anxiety started with headaches but i could not even function as well as you are doing. i was laid on the sofa for 3 weeks with an unrelenting migraine and when that lifted i was still left with constant tension headaches. your doctor may offer you an antidepressant as these can help but you pretty much summed it up when you said that the less you worry - the more they will lift. i still feel headachey most days 10 years later! and go through bad patches but am not in the state i was years ago.

from what i have learned myself and what i have learned in the headache clinic - drink at least 8 glasses water/herbal tea a day. use a wheat bag on your neck/shoulders/do relaxation exercises/eat little and often/make sure you bed/pillow is comfy! exercise if you can/take painkillers if really bad but like you say - they do not always help (syndol is good for tension headaches but try not take regularly) and if you are on the pill - think of stopping it because this made my headaches much much worse. mine started to lift very gradually and only when i started to accept and ignore them. try to get out and about as much as you can because the more you focus on them - the worse they can feel x

scaredycatx
06-08-10, 07:36
Hey, just wanted to thank you all for your replies, they really did bring me help and reassurance and it is so nice to know that I am not alone :)

Well the headache and tight chest feelings are still here! So fed up of it now it's really getting me down. I went back to the doctor who reiterated the anxiety diagnosis and that I really didn't need to worry about it being anything more serious (easier said than done as we all know!). I've been referred to a councellor who should put me in touch with a CBT therapist so I'm thinking positively about that. I've got to wait a month for an appointment though which feels forever away at the moment.

Thanks for all of your headache advice Jo - much appreciated :) I've booked myself a full body massage for next week as I am hoping this might relieve some tension.

Hope you all feel better soon
Amy
xxxx

calm
06-08-10, 11:39
it seems like an age doesnt it to wait to see a councellor....i have been waiting and on the 24th august i will get to see her.....its a struggle but i am ticking the days off on my calendar.
i do hope your headaches subside....i know wot causes mine....panic, anxiety and tension.
good for you for booking yourself a body massage....that will feel so wonderful.
thank you amy for your wishes....lets hope we all feel better soon and come out of the darkness.
have a good weekend, love tracey xxxx

Adam22
06-08-10, 12:17
Yo yo , I checked ur post and yes we have exactly the same symptoms .. I've been docs on countless occasions and he's confident stress and anxiety have brought this upon me...i've had checks such as blood .. Eyes , ears, and orientation and went to opticians And everything fine .. Are you on any meds?

scaredycatx
06-08-10, 18:01
Hopefully our councellor appointments will roll round fast Tracey :) Thanks for all of your wishes and I wish you a speedy recovery and a good weekend too - I really do :)

Yeah Adam it does seem like we are feeling exactly the same - how lovely!!
I've had same tests blood, opticians etc and all normal.
I just wish they would go...I feel like someones stolen the old me!!

Amy x